dunningt on



(No Model.)

J. H. DUNNINGT ON.

I HORSE DETAGHBR. 7 No. 578,979. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

4/ 13d! r? I??? l I I I IIVl/E/VTOR ATTORNEYS.

llNirn ra'rns JAMES H. DUNNINGTON, OF YVASIIINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,979, dated March 16, 1897.

Application fil d December 30, 1896. $erial No. 61'7/L94. No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES HENRY DUNNING- TON, of Washington, in the county of Tashington and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented a new and Improved Horse-Detacher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for the front axle of a vehicle, arranged for attachment also to the thills, the device being so constructed that the portion thereof connected with the thills may be released from a second portion or section, also located on the axle, for the purpose of permitting the forward or thill-carrying section to be quickly and completely disengaged from the axle, thereby admitting of the instant release of an unruly or run-away horse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby such a release may be effected by the occupants of the vehicle while seated therein.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an axle-bed and the body portion of the front axle, the spindle of the axle being in transverse section and the detaching device being shown as located upon the axle-bed and axle. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the device, axlebed, and axle, and likewise a section through the thills connected with the device, the device being in its locked position or in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, a portion of the axle-bed, the axle, and a portion of the thills, the device being shown as locked on the axle; and Fig. 4: is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the device, however, having been operated to admit of the thill-carrying section being released from the body-section.

The axle A is provided with the usual bed B, and preferably the upper surface of the bed is more or less inclined downwardly and rearwardly. The frame of the detaching device C is made in two sections, a body-section and a thill-carrying section, the latter being at the front. The body or rear section comprises a vertical member 10, which extends upward in a suitable channel formed in the back of the axle and the axle-bed to a point near the lower portion of the top of the axlebed, the vertical member terminating at its upper end in an eye 11. The lower member 12 of the body-section of the device is horizontal, but is of such length as to extend be yond the front of the axle, and is at that point preferably given an upward inclination and is provided with an opening 13.

The thill-carrying section of the device consists of a vertical member 14, terminating at its lower end in a head 15, which is inclined in a downwardly and rearwardly direction and is more or less tapering, the said head being adapted to fit into the opening 13 in the horizontal member of the body-section 10. The vertical member 14 of the thill-carrying section is given a bend or a curve 16 at its upper end, which conforms to the shape of the upper surface of the axle-bed, it being understood that a suitable channel is made in the front of the axle and axlebed and in the top portion of the bed to receive the thill-carrying section of the device.

The rear upper end of the curved portion 10 of the thill-carrying section is given an upward inclination and terminates in an eye 17. A lock-lever 18 is provided for the thill-carrying section of the device, and one end of this lever is bifurcated to span the eye 17 and is pivotally connected with the thill-carrying section of the device by means of a pivot-pin 19, passed through the bifurcated portion of the lever and through the aforesaid eye. The lower end of the lock-lever or the bifurcated end is curved in a forwardly direction, so as to form at each side of its pivoted end a forwardly-extending hook 520. The body of the lock-lever 18 is more or less curved in an upwardly direction, and when the lever is in a closed position its free end extends beyond the front vertical face of the device, and in the free end of the lock-lever an opening 2 1 is made. The ears 22 are projected from the front vertical portion of the forward member 14 of the device, and between the lugs or ears 22 of each device the inner end of a thill 23' or the thill-iron is pivoted.

A link 24: is loosely mounted in the eye 11 at the upper portion of the rear member 10 of the device, and the lock-lever 18 is passed through this link, and when the two members are in engagement with the axle and the axle bed the head 15 of the forward or thill-carrying member will be entered in the opening 13 in the bottom of the rear or body member of the device, and the lock-lever, after having been passed through the link 24, is carried downwardly and forwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward portion of the link will now be engaged by the hooks 20 and thrown beyond or forward of the pivot of the lever, holding thereby the two members of the device firmly secured on the axle and the axlebed. The two parts of the device when the lock-leveris closed will be as strongly secured on the axle as though the device were an ordinary clip; but in the event the horses should become unruly and it is desired to instantly release them from the vehicle by pulling upon a cord or chain 25, leading to the body of the vehicle from each lock-lever employed, the lock-lever will be drawn rearward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in positive lines in Fig. 4, enabling the team to draw the front or thill-carrying section from the axle and axle-bed, these sections remaining connected with the thills while the body-sections of the devices will drop to the ground.

The device is exceedingly simple, it is durable and economic, and it is reliable and may be operated to disconnect the thills or pole from engagement with an axle or axlebed almost instantly.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A horse-detacher consisting of a clip made in two sections, one section being provided with a means for attachment to a thill, the lower end of the thill-carrying section be ing arranged to enter the lower portion of the opposing section, a lock-lever carried by the thill-section of the clip, and a link carried by the opposing section, through which the lock-lever is arranged to be-passed, as and for the purposespecified.

2. In a horse-detacher, a clip comprising a body-section and a thill-carrying section, the thill-carryin g section terminating at its lower end in a head which is loosely entered into the body-section, a look-lever carried by the upper portion of the thill-section of the clip, having a cam-surface adjacent to its pivot, and a link carried by the body-section of the clip, adapted to be engaged by the cam portion of the lock-lever, as and for the purpose specified.

8. A horse-detacher consisting of a bodysection of angular formation and a section arranged for attachment to a thill, the thillsection having one of its ends loosely entered into the body-section, the upper portion of the thill-section being arched, a lever fulcrumed upon the arched portion of the thillsection, being provided with hooks adjacent to its pivot, and a link carried by the upper portion of the body-section, being adapted for engagement by the hooks of the said lever, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination, with an axle and axlebed, of a horse-detacher comprising a bodysection and a section fitted for attachment to a thill, the body-section being of angular formation, one member extending at the rear of the axle and axle-bed, the other member extending forwardly beneath the axle, being provided at its forward end with an opening, the thill-section terminating at its lower end in a head which is loosely fitted in the lower portion of the body-section, the upper portion of the thill-section being fitted to the upper portion of the axle-bed, and a lever fulcrumed upon the upper end of the thillsection, being provided with forwardly-extending lugs near its pivot, and a link carried by the upper portion of the body-section and adapted to be engaged by the hooks of the said lever, as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES H. DUNNINGTON.

\Vitnesses:

J OSEPH F. ANDERSON, R. G. GLENN. 

